Check hinge for toilet seats



Nov. 2 6, 1957 H. H. REINHARD 2,8 ,048

CHECK HINGE FOR TOILET SEATS Filed Feb. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Nov. 26, 1957 H. H. REINHARDI CHECK HINGE FOR TOILET SEATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb 27, 1956 INVENTOR. jaiflfm 2,814,048 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 CHECK HINGE FOR TOILET SEATS Herbert H. Reinhard, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Sperzel Company, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application February 27, 1956, Serial No. 567,847

6 Claims. (Cl. 4-240) My invention relates generally to means for hingedly mounting a conventional toilet seat and/or cover, hereinafter referred to as a cover element, to a toilet bowl for swinging movements from a generally horizontal position immediately overlying the toilet bowl to a position Wherein the forward end of the cover element is swung upwardly and backwardly slightly more than 90 degrees.

More particularly, my invention relates to toilet seats of the commercial type wherein covers for same are not usually provided.

Still more specifically, my invention relates to check hinges for toilet seats whereby the upward swinging movements of same may be safely checked before the free end of the seat has had an opportunity of coming into contact with walls, flush tanks or other objects therebehind.

Check hinges of the type immediately above referred to are not broadly new. The industry and the purchasing public have long recognized the need for such a hinge, but have heretofore been unable to provide one which is efficient, durable and yet sufliciently cheap to produce, to make same commercially feasible.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a com-.

pletely new check hinge for toilet bowl cover elements, which includes a minimum of working parts, which is rugged and durable in construction and which may be produced at a sufficiently low cost to enable same to be put into wide-spread public use.

A further object of my invention is a provision in my novel invention for a check hinge mechanism for toilet seats which may be used in connection with structures such as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,672,623, where in the swinging movements of the seat are at all times controlable through the means of an anchoring bolt.

A still further object of my invention is a provision in a device of the class described which is easy to assemble and disassemble and which may be repaired in the event of damage with a minimum of effort and in a minimum of time, and which is positive in its action and durable in use.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a conventional toilet bowl showing my novel check hinge construction.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to the structure shown in Fig. 3 but showing the different position of some parts thereof.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the pintle structure and bearing body of my novel check hinge structure, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bearing body shown in Fig. 6, but taken from a different position.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a conventional toilet bowl having a rearwardly extending anchoring flange 2. The Figure 3 indicates a conventional toilet seat of the commercial type wherein no cover is utilized. Seat 3 is shown as being provided with a reduced rearwardly projecting portion 4. Anchoring flange 2, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, is provided with vertically extended holes 5 for the slideable reception of anchoring bolts 6 having apertured heads 7 at their upper ends and threads at their lower ends for the reception of tensioning nuts 8. Preferably and as shown, coiled springs 9 are interposed between the tensioning nuts 8 and the bottom 9 of the anchoring flange 2.

As shown particularly in Fig. 6, pintle structures identitied in their entireties by the numeral 10 project lateral- -ly outwardly from the marginal edges of the reduced portion 4 of the seat 3, one on each side thereof. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, the pintle structures 10 are in axial alignment. Pintle structures 10 each include a tubular bearing sleeve 11 non-turnably fixed to the reduced portion 4 of the seat 3 and projecting laterally therefrom, and a cylindrical bearing pin 12 snugly slideably receivable within said tubular bearing sleeve 11 and having free end portions 13 extending laterally outwardly beyond the said bearing sleeves 11. The outer surfaces of the bearing sleeves 11 provide generally cylindrical bearing surfaces 14.

Bearing sleeves 11- are provided with axially spaced circumferentially extended recesses 15, 16, the latter of which is shown as being in the nature of a slot. cesses 15, 16, as shown, are identically positioned with respect to the tubular bearing sleeves 11 and correspond identically in circumferential length, and extend through the walls thereof so as to expose therewithin the cylindrical bearing surfaces 17, of the bearing pins 13. The hearing surfaces 14 and 17 are concentric.

For a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent, the segmental recesses 15, 16 are closed at their opposite ends to provide stops 18 and 19, the former being on one common end of the recesses 15, 16, and the latter being on the opposite end thereof.

A bearing body 20, shown as being formed from a single strip of metal bent in U-shape, provides a vertically disposed closed end 21 and a pair of laterally spaced parallel upstanding bearing flanges 22. The flat bottom edges 23 of the bearing flanges 22 are adapted to be received upon the upper surface 24 of the anchoring flange 2 of the toilet bowl 1, one on each side of the openings 5 of the flange 2. It will be seen particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 5, that the bearing flanges 22 are of a width considerably greater than the diameters of the openings form thickness and are aligned with the segmental recesses 15, 16 in the bearing sleeves 11 with the stop lugs 27 being received one each within said recesses 15, 16. Stop lugs 27 each define a segmental bearing surface 28 which bears against the cylindrical bearing surface 17.0f the bearing pin 12 within the recesses 15, 16. Stop lugs 27 also define stop shoulders 29 which cooperate with the stops 19 on one end of the recesses 15, 16, to limit upward swinging movements of the seat 3 at the dotted line position of Fig. l and the full line position of Fig. 5. Also stop shoulders 30 on stop lugs 27 .cooperate with the stops 18 of the recesses 15, 16 to limit movements of the seat 3 to the generally horizontal position of Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be noted that the arcuate dimension of the concave bearing surface 26 is greater than the arcuate dimension between stop end 19 of the segmental recesses 15, 16 and the stop shoulder 29 of the stop lug 27 whereby a portion of the concave bearing surface 26 engages the outer bearing surface 14 of the bearing sleeve 11 at all positions of said seat 3 between its limits of pivotal movement, see particularly Figs. 3 and 5. The relative dimensions of these elements are such as to permit at least 90 degrees of pivotal movement of said seat 3, as there shown. It will be noted particularly by reference to Fig. 4 that when the elements above described are in their working relationship, that the hooked ends 7 of the anchoring bolts 6 overlie the tubular bearing sleeves 11, in vertical planes intermediate the bearing flanges 22, and intermediate the segmental recesses 15, 16; Under this arrangement any desired amount of tension may be exerted by the anchoring bolts 6 upon the pintle structures by manipulation of the nuts 8, whereby to frictionally control the swinging movements of the seat 3.

As further shown, bearing caps 31 are provided to enclose the free ends of the pintle structures 10, the bearing bodies 20, and the hook-acting upper ends 7 of the clamping bolts 6. Bearing caps 31 at their open lower ends 32 rest upon the upper surface 24 of the anchoring flanges 2 of the toilet bowl 1, and are provided in one wall with opening 33 to snugly receive the tubular bearing sleeves 11. The opposite walls of the bearing caps 31 are provided with recesses 34 snugly receiving the projected outer end portions 17 of the cylindrical bearing pins 13.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and while I have shown a commercial embodiment thereof, 1 Wish it to be specifically understood that same is capable of considerable modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a hinge for pivotally securing a toilet bowl cover element to a toilet bowl, a pintle structure having an anchoring portion adapted to be non-turnably fixed to said cover element and having a working portion, the working portion of the pintle structure defining an outer generally cylindrical bearing surface, said pintle structure having a circumferentially extended slot opening through its generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, said segmental slot having a closed end defining a stop, the bottom of said segmental slot defining an arcuate inner bearing surface concentric with said outer bearing surface, a bearing body adapted to be mounted on a toilet bowl and comprising an upstanding bearing flange, said bearing flange defining an upwardly opening concave bearing surface of a radius conforming to that of the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure and seated thereagainst, said flange having a radially inwardly projecting stop lug and bearing portion adjacent one end of its segmental bearing surface that projects into and works in the slot of the pintle structure to cooperate with the stop end of the segmental slot to limit movement of the cover element in one direction, said inwardly projecting stop lug having a bearing surface engaging the inner bearing surface of the pintle structure, the arcuate dimension of said concave bearing surface being greater than the arcuate dimension between said stop end of the segmental slot and said stop lug and bearing portion of said bearing flange when said cover element is moved to its limit of pivotal movement in the opposite direction, whereby a portion of said concave bearing surface engages the outer bearing surface of said pintle structure at all positions of said cover element betwen its limits of pivotal movement, and an anchoring bolt adapted for anchorage to a toilet bowl and having a hooked end receiving the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure adjacent said bearing flange, said pintle structure comprising a tubular bearing sleeve non-turnably fixed to said cover element, and a cylindrical bearing pin snugly slideably receivable within said tubular element, said circumferentially extended slot opening extending only through said tubular bearing sleeve.

2. In a hinge for pivotally securing a. toilet bowl cover element to a toilet bowl, a pintle structure having an anchoring portion adapted to be non-turnably fixed to said cover element and having a Working portion, the working portion of the pintle structure defining an outer generally cylindrical bearing surface, said pintle structure having a circumferentially extended slot opening through its generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, said segmental slot having a closed end defining a stop, the bottom of said segmental slot defining an arcuate inner bearing surface concentric with said outer bearing surface, a bearing body adapted to be mounted on a toilet bowl and comprising an upstanding bearing flange, said bearing flange defining an upwardly opening concave bearing surface of a radius conforming to that of the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure and seated thereagainst, said flange having a radially inwardly projecting stop lug and bearing portion adjacent one end of its segmental bearing surface that projects into and works in the slot of the pintle structure to cooperate with the stop end of the segmental slot to limit movement of the cover element in one direction, said inwardly projecting stop lug having a bearing surface engaging the inner bearing surface of the pintle structure, the arcuate dimension of said concave bearing surface being greater than the arcuate dimension between said stop end of the segmental slot and said stop lug and bearing portion of said bearing flange when said cover element is moved to its limit of pivotal movement in the opposite direction, whereby a portion of said concave bearing surface engages the outer bearing surface of said pintle structure at all positions of said cover element between its limits of pivotal movement, and an anchoring bolt adapted for anchorage to a toilet bowl and having a hooked upper end receiving the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure adjacent said bearing flange, said pintle structure comprising a tubular bearing sleevenon-turnably fixed to said cover element, and a cyclindrical bearing pin snugly slidably receivable within said tubular element, said circumferentially extended slot extending only through said tubular bearing sleeve, one end of said tubular bearing sleeve extending beyond a marginal edge of said cover element, said bearing pin projecting axially outwardly beyond the free end of said tubular bearing element, and a bearing cap covering said bearing flange, the apertured head on said anchoring bolt and the free end of said pintle structure and retaining said bearing pin within said tubular bearing element against accidental removal.

3. In a. hinge for pivotally securing a toilet bowl cover element to a toilet bowl, a pintle structure having an anchoring portion adapted to be non-turnably fixed to a toilet bowl cover element and having a working portion extending beyond a marginal edge thereof, the working portion of the pintle structure defining an outer generally cylindrical bearing surface, said pintle structure having a circumferentially extended slot opening through its generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, said segmental slot having a closed end defining a stop, the bottom of said segmental slot defining an arcuate inner bearing surface concentric with the said outer bearing surface, a bearing body adapted to be mounted on a toilet bowl and having an upwardly opening segmental bearing surface conforming to the radius of and seated on the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure, the bearing body further defining a stop lug projecting radially inwardly fromits segmental bearing surface into the segmental slot of the pintle structure for engagement with the stop end thereof to limit pivotal movements of the cover element in one direction, and an anchoring bolt adapted for anchorage to a toilet bowl and provided with a hooked upper end embracing the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure laterally adjacent said bearing body, said pintle structure including a tubular bearing element non-turnably fixed to said cover element and a cylindrical bearing pin snugly slidably receivable in the extended end of said bearing element, said segmental slot extending radially through said tubular bearing element and exposing the peripheral surface of said cylindrical bearing pin.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which said stop lug also defines a segmental bearing surface which bears against the peripheral surface of said bearing pin and is concentric therewith.

5. Means for pivotally securing a toilet bowl cover element to a toilet bowl including, a pintle structure having an anchoring portion adapted to be non-turnably fixed to said cover element and having a working portion extending beyond the marginal edge thereof, the working portion of the pintle structure defining an outwardly cylindrical bearing surface, said pintle structure having a pair of axially spaced circumferentially extended recesses opening through the generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, said segmental recesses having a closed end defining a stop, the bottoms of said segmental recesses defining arcuate inner bearing surfaces concentric with said outer bearing surface, a pair of upstanding bearing flanges adapted to be mounted on said toilet bowl aligned with and of a character to be received one each within one of said segmental recesses in the pintle structure, said bearing flanges having concentric upwardly opening segmental bearing surfaces conforming to the radius of and seated on the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure in radial alignment one each with one of said recesses, said bearing flanges further defining stop lugs projecting radially inwardly one each from one of said segmental bearing surfaces into one of said segmental recesses in the pintle structure for simultaneous engagement with the stop end of said recesses to limit pivotal movement of said cover element in one direction, said stop lugs being provided with bearing surfaces engaging the inner bearing surfaces of said pintle structure, and an anchoring bolt adapted for anchorage to a toilet bowl and provided with a hooked upper end embracing the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure in a vertical plane intermediate said segmental recesses, said pintle structure including a tubular bearing element nonturnably fixed to said cover element and a cylindrical bearing pin snugly slidably receivable in the extended end of said bearing element, said segmental recesses extending radially through one wall of said tubular bearing element and exposing the cylindrical bearing pin, at least one of said tubular segmental recesses being in the nature of a segmental slot.

6. Means for pivotally securing a toilet bowl cover element to a toilet bowl including, a pintle structure having an anchoring portion adapted to be non-turnably fixed to said cover element and having a working portion extending beyond the marginal edge thereof, the working portion of the pintle structure defining an outwardly cylindrical bearing surface, said pintle structure having a pair of axially spaced circumferentially extended recesses opening through the generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, said segmental recesses having a closed end defining a stop, the bottoms of said segmental recesses defining arcuate inner bearing surfaces concentric with said outer bearing surface, a pair of upstanding bearing flanges adapted to be mounted on said toilet bowl aligned with and of a character to be received one each within one of said segmental recesses in the pintle structure, said bearing flanges having concentric upwardly opening segmental bearing surfaces conforming to the radius of and seated on the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure in radial alignment one each with one of said recesses, said bearing flanges further defining stop lugs projecting radially inwardly one each from one of said segmental bearing surfaces into one of said segmental recesses in the pintle structure for simultaneous engagement with the stop end of said recesses to limit pivotal movement of said cover element in one direction, said stop lugs being provided with bearing surfaces engaging the inner bearing surfaces of said pintle structure, an anchoring bolt adapted for anchorage to a toilet bowl and provided with a hooked upper end embracing the outer bearing surface of the pintle structure in a vertical plane intermediate said segmental recesses, said pintle structure including a tubular bearing element non-turnably fixed to said cover element and a cylindrical bearing pin snugly slidably receivable in the extended end of said bearing element, said segmental recesses extending radially through one wall of said tubular bearing element and exposing the cylindrical bearing pin, at least one of said tubular segmental recesses being in the nature of a segmental slot, said cylindrical bearing pin extending axially outwardly from the tubular bearing element, and a bearing cap encompassing said bearing flanges and anchoring bolt, said bearing cap having an opening on one side thereof for the reception of said pintle structure and having a recess in its opposite wall concentric with said opening snugly receiving the free end of said cylindrical bearing pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,734,556 Bishop Nov. 5, 1929 2,240,220 Leslie Apr. 29, 1941 2,672,623 Sperzel Mar. 23, 1954 

